Apparatus for treating liquids



May 12, 1942 H. R. TORRENCE 2,282,623

APPARATUS FOR TREATING LIQUIDS Original Filed May l, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheetl juices.

restorethe qualities of the fresh juice, the pack- Patented May 12, 1942PATENT orsi-'cs j 2,282,623 i APPARATUS 'FOR TREATINGLIQUIDS Homer ReidTorrance, deceased, lateof South Laguna, Calif., by Robert C; Mize,administra- `tor, Santa Ana, Calif.,

Torrence assignor v to Gladys original application May 1, 1939, serialNo.

271,113. 'Divided and this application October 2, 1939, serial No.v297,476

1o claims'. floci. 259-97) f This invention relates generally toimproved apparatus for aerating and removing absorbed gases fromliquids, and particularly for .blending different or separate liquidsunder conditions such that undesirable gaseous or odorous'constituentsof one or both of the liquids are 'effectively removed, and the liquidsare soj'combined as to impart various desirable properties to theblended product. The present apparatus has been developed primarily forthetreatment andrefreshing of packaged fruit and Vegetable juices andtheir concentrates, and will therefore be described with thisparticular, though typical,V object in view. For a more detaileddiscussion of the desirability for refreshing such juices andconcentrates, and-the method by whichthisiend is `accomplished throughaeration :and blending of the juices, reference maybe had tocope'ndihgapplication Ser. No. 271,113 iiled'May' 1, 1939, on Method for treatingjuices, of which'the'present application is a division.

Referring briefly to the rnormal condition of juices packaged forpreservation by canning 'and other processes, the palatability and other.desirable properties of the fresh juices are greatly impaired byheating or'other treatment in the packaging process, and alteredinternal conditions of the juices. These packaged juices arecharacterized by their so-called flat taste, odors notpossessed by thefresh juices, and a certain sliniiness and lack of body due to changesbrought about in the physi-cal as well as chemical properties of-the Bysubjecting the'juices to treatment in the present apparatus, theproperties of the juices may be greatly improved and a product Vobtainedthat in taste and qualityV is far superior to the untreated packagedjuice,

In accordance with the invention, .means lis, provided for removingabsorbed or dissolved gases and' vapors contained in the packagedjuices, and

filo

Valso for replacing such gases and vapors with air, for the purpose ofto some extent giving the juice a refreshed taste and improving itsphysical properties, notably its body. In order to further 45 agedproduct is treated to increase itsair retaining capacity and to freshenits taste. This is done by combining with the packaged juice a suitableproportion of another or fresh juice, and'subjecting the juices tointimate mixing and aeration. The fresh juice revives the taste of Ythepackaged juice by absorption in the latter of the fresh aroma andbouquet, and, also increases its air retaining capacity to a degree thatvthe mixed lproduct will absorb air and form and support 55 rbubbles'like the `freshI juice and have an improved body that is of importanceto the palatability of the juice.

In its preferred form, thev apparatus comprises a rotating element,which may be referred to generally as a rotor, `driven at'high velocityand against whichthe juice to be aerated is directed so that the juiceis projected centrifugally from the rotor in finely dividedform withinan open air space. Preferably, the rotor is mounted for rotation about avertical axis, and the juice is forcibly projected upwardly from a bodyof the juice below Vthe rotor,-'against the under surface of the latter.The rotor is provided with suitable means, such as a` peripheral seriesof apertures, for dividing the liquid into a plurality of small streamsand "causing theliquid to befl projected from the Vrotor in a state.ofne division and intimate exposure to the air. ,After-traversing theair space, the juice is projected against a solid surface so that theresulting impact serves further-to de- .plete the liquid ofany*objectionablegaseous constituents. The liquid may then be returnedto the body of juice referred to above, and repeatedly ,recirculated andprojected yagainst the rotor for n such-lengthjof time as-rnayv berequired for complete aeration and removalof gases.

While thus being treated as described, the packaged juice may becombined with a suitable proportion of ther/fresh juice, by directingthe latter against the opposite or top surface ofthe rotor, so thatvfthe two Yjuices Yarethrown out- Ward to the peripheryY ofathe rotorwhere they 'i are combined and admixed intimately and in a ne state ofdivisiomand are together subjected to aerationv in being-projectedacross the air space. lThe head of the rotor may conveniently carry a,fruitfreamer, as Aa-me'ans vof expressingl the juices from the fruit andimmediately directing the juices against the outwardly extending topsurface of the rotor,'although it-is to be understood thatv theinvention broadly contemplates any suitable means lforjsupplying. anddirecting `the fresh juices against therotor surface. Being continuouslyoperated, the apparatusjsubjects the two juices to continuousrecirculation,

Vadmirxing and aeration, until the proper proportion of fresh juice isadded, and thereafter until 'the mixed juices reach a desired staterofaeration andv removal of impurities.

The invention possesses various additional objects and details, -butthese as well as the features lreferredto in the foregoing, will beunderstood to better 'advantage from the following description-.of thelinvention Vals ,embodied in certain typical and illustrative forms.'Ihroughout the description reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, showing the reamer andscreen assembly removed;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section of an enlargement of the impellersleeve, seal tube and shaft assembly; and

Fig. 4 is a view illustrating a variational feature of the invention. 1

Referring first to Fig. 1, the apparatus comprises an outer casing orshell generally indicated at I0, that includes upper Vand lower sectionsII and I2 forming respectively an upper juice containing compartment I3Vand a lower motor compartment I4. sembled condition of the apparatus,an annular Ydepending sleeve I5 on the 'upper section II is fitted downabout the shell I2 so that the bottom I6 rests on the top wall I'I ofthe lower section. A clutch connection I8 between the motor I9 and shaft20 permits the upper section II and its contained parts to be removedfrom the lower into a plurality of smallV streams and uniformly In thenormal assection I2, for cleaning or other purposes, or for replacementby a different upper section assem- )blyQShaft 20 extends verticallyfrom the motor -within a liquid seal tube 2| havingan integral baseflange 22 secured to the bottom I6 of section II, the lowermost portion2Ia of Ythe tube below flange 22 forming a radial bearing for the shaft.The upper end of the tube bore may also be reduced in diameter toprovide a bearing at 2ib for the yupper end of the shaft. The tubeextends above the liquid in compartment I3 and thereby forms a sealpreventing the flow of liquid reduced to a fine state of division.

-In accordance with the present method, the apparatus is assembled asillustrated in Fig. 1, and compartment I3 vis filled with a packagedjuice, for example, canned orange juice, to some intermediate level asindicated by line L. The motor I9 is then started into operation torotate the shaft, impeller and reamer at a high rate of speed, forexample between 2000 and 3000 R; P. M., or above. The impellersY 28discharge the juice upwardly within passage 34 and project it at highvelocity against the under-surface 42 of the rotor. Initial removal ofdissolved or absorbed gases and vapors from the'juice occurs by virtueof the impact separating effect resulting from the juice being projectedat high velocity against the surface 42.' Then, due to its upwardinertia under the influence of the impellers and the centrifugal forceof the rotor, the juice is thrown' rapidly outward along the undersurface of the rotor to the apertures 43.

` In being required to pass through these aperdownwardly along the shaftinto the motor com'- partment I4. The shaft carries an impeller sleeve23 extending downwardly about the tube. V2| and journaled at its lowerend within a boss 24 on the flange 22, the top of the sleeve beingattached, as by screw threads 25 or other suitable connection, to thereduced diameter extension 26 of the shaft. 'Ihe sleeve 23 carries aseries of screw flights 28 which, during rotation of the sleeve throughits connection 25 with the shaft 20, project the juice upwardly against'the rotor, as will presently appear.

Compartment I3 contains a removable assembly comprising afrustro-conical screen 29 attached at its upper end to an imperforatefrustroconical shell 30 of reverse angularity, and connected at itslower end through a perforated Vchannel-shaped flange 3|l with a tube 32sur- -I I, and by fitting the lower end of tube 32 about the boss 24 asillustrated. The tube 32 forms with the impeller sleeve an annularvertically vextending passage 34 from which the juice is upwardlyVexpelled by the pumping action of the screw ights 28, and into thebottom of which the juice is 'admitted through openings 35. v The shaftcarries on its upper end a rotor,

generally indicated at 36, which may conveniently take the form of acombination dispersing or atomizing disk and fruit reamer. Accordingly,in its preferred form, the element 36 consists of a reamer 3I having theusualsurface ribs 38,

andv an integral circular base 39 carrying a depending flange 49. Thereamer may be detachably secured to the shaft in any suitable man- V thefresh fruit on the reamer 3'I.

tures rotating at high speed, the juice is reduced to finely dividedform, and is projected in such form centrifugally from the periphery ofthe rotor. It is desirable that flange 49`be given Vsulcvstantialthickness in order to insure thorough veffectively separated from itscontained gases and vapors, by reason of its fine state of division `andintimate exposure to the air. At this point it may be mentioned' that attheir speed of rotation, ribs 38 on the reamer create 'a mild' fanaction, inducing upward circulation of a1r within the screen assembly,and expelling the released gases and vapors. Finally, the juice issubjected to further separating effect'in being projected at highvelocity across the air gap at 44 against the downwardly inclinedimperforate wall 30. As will be understood, while the finely .dividedjuice or mist is being dispersed into the space 44, it Abecomesthoroughly aerated and is thereby freshened in taste and improved inbody by reason of the aeration. The continuous VVdownward flow of juicefrom wall 30 Washes any pulp or seeds down so that they accumulate inthe lower portion of the screen, and the juice passes outwardly throughthe screen perforations for recirculation.

After removal of gases and vapors from the juice, or during suchremoval, a suitable proportion, around 20% to 25% being preferred, offresh juice is Yadded to the canned product, and desirably is combinedtherewith in a manner'such that advantage is taken of the describedtreatment as a meansl for securing thorough blending and aeration of theadmixed juices. Such combination o f juices may be simply andeffectively accomplished by expressing the added juice from The freshjuiceV flowing outwardly over the top surface 46 of the rotor is itselfto some extent atomized by casacca the high Yspeed 4of rotation and isthrown beyond the periphery of the` rotor where the freshjuice meets andis intimately commingled with the atomized juice leaving the apertures43. The two juices thus are most effectively blendedand aerated togetherwhile in a finely divided state. The seeds and pulp removedA from thefruit are collected within the screen 29, the juices' passing downthrough the openings 35, all in the general path indicated by thearrows. This continuous circulation of the juice is maintained until thedesired proportion of freshjuice is added, and the mixture is thoroughlyaerated. 1 f

For certain purposes, it may be desirable to increase the size andcapacity of the apparatus in such a way as to necessitate enlargement ofthe diameter of the rotor 36. In that event, the diameter may beenlarged beyond a distance through which the juice being projectedagainst the under-surface of the rotor from passage 34, will adhere toor follow that surface out to the apertures 43. In accordance with thevariational iormfof rotating element shown in Fig. 4, provision is madefor retaining the juice within the element and positively projecting itoutward n' through the apertures. Here the rotor 41fis substantially ofdisk` form and comprises a lower integral wall 48 enclosing a space 49into which the juice is projected from tube`32 through opening 59. Uponentering the space 49 the juice is thrown Vcentrifugally and by thepositive action ofY radial ribs or vanes I, outwardly through theapertures 52. The reamer head is omitted in this variational form, toillustrate that if desited, the fresh juice may be previously extractedfrom the fruit and poured onto the top surface of the disk.

After blending and aeration of the juices as described, the reamer andscreen assembly may be removed from the compartment I3, leaving theimpeller sleeve and screw night exposed as shown in Fig. 2. Betweenperiodic withdrawals ol the juice for service through cock 53, theirnpeller may be employed as an agitator to maintain the juices inuniformly mixed condition.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus of the character described, a vertically extendingshaft, a circular rotor driven by said shaft, a fruit reamer on the topof said rotor, a liquid containing chamber below said rotor, means fordriving said shaft and rotor at high velocity, and means forciblyprojecting liquid from said chamber upwardly against the under surfaceof said rotor, the liquid thence being thrown centrifugally at highvelocity from the rotor and aerated within an open space.

2. In apparatus of the character described, a

lshell enclosing a chamber containing a body of in said shell throughwhich the liquid is recirc culated to again be projected against therotor. 3. In apparatus of the character described, a shell enclosing achambercontaining a body of thrcugh the bottom 'of said chambenastationarygtube extending up around ythe shaft from thebottom 'of' saidvchamber tdarpoint above the level fsaid liquid body,V` a secondstationary tube `surrounding and spacedlfrom the first mentioned tube, acircular rotor carried by the shaft above said :body of* liquid, a fruitreamer onthe' top offsaid rotor,- means carried bythe shaft and rotatingbetween saidtubes to forcibly project liquid from said'body upwardlyagainst the under surface of saidlrrotor, the' liquidbeing throwncentrifugally and at high velocity laterallyfrom the rotor across'anVairspace betweenthe rotor and said-shell, and the liquid' thencereturning to saidliquid body.

4'.Y In apparatus offth'ev character described,

vmeans forming afchamber containing'a body of liquid, an elementrotatable about a vertical axis and positioned above the liquid level insaid chamber, means vfor rotating said element at high velocity, meansfor directing a` stream of liquid-against the-top surface of saidelement, means forcibly projecting a stream of liquid from said bodykupwardly against the bottom surface of said element, a wall spaced fromthe periphery ofthe element, and means embodied in saidelement forrfinely dividingthe liquid in said upwardly projected stream so that saidstream is admixedA and the vliquids projected radially at highVelocityfrom said element in finely divided form against said wall, andthe admixed liquids then collected in said chamber. Y Y

5. In apparatus of vthe character described, an

element rotatable about a vertical axis, a stationary tube below saidelement, a Vshaft extend-` ing upwardly within said tube and operatingto rotate said element at high velocity, means carried by said shaftforprojcting a stream of liquid 4from a level below said element.upwardly against a-downwardly facing surface of theelement andat thepoint of contact withsaid element indirect exposure to an air spacesurrounding the element, means for directing'a separate stream of liquidagainst' an upwardly facing surface in said element, saidstreamsl beingadmixed and the liquids projected radially at high velocity from saidelement in finely divided form, andk wardly through the bottom of saidchamber, a

liquid, a shaft extending vertically within said 1 chamber, a motorcompartment in said shell directly below said chamber, a shaft drivingmotor in said compartment and extending upwardly Vstationary tubeextending up around the shaft from the bottom of said chamber to a pointabove the` level of said liquid body, a'circular rotor carried by theshaft above said body of liquid, an annular wall included'in said shellstructure and extending upwardly and inwardly about and in spacedrelation to the rotor, means carried by the shaft outside said tube forforcibly projecting liquid fromA said body upwardly against a relativelysmall area of the under surface of said rotor and at a velocity suchthat the liquid is.

caused to adhere to said surface'and to be thrown centrifugally alongthe surface and at high velocity from the rotor across an airV spacedirectly against the surface of the shell above said body kof liquid,the liquid thence returning to said body of liquid.

7. In apparatus of the character describedVa l shell enclosing a chambercontaining a body of liquid, a shaft extending vertically Within saidchamber, av motor compartment in said' shell Ystationary tube extendingup around the Yshaft from the bottom of said chamber to a point abovethe level of said liquid body, a second stationary tube surrounding andspaced from the first mentioned tube, a circular rotor carried by theshaft above said body of liquid and having a series of peripheralapertures, means carried by theshaft and rotating between said tubes toforcibly project liquid from said body upwardly against the undersurface of said rotor and at a velocity such that the liquid is causedto adhere to said sur'- face and to be thrown centrifugally along saidsurface, then through said apertures, and projected from the rotoracross an air space directly against the surface of the shell above saidbody of liquid, the liquid thence returning to said body of liquid. Y

8. In apparatus of the character described, a shell enclosing a chambercontaining a body of liquid, a shaft extending vertically Withinsaidchamber, a'motor for driving said shaft, `a circular rotor carried bythe shaft above said body of liquid, means carried by the shaft forforcibly projecting liquid from said body upwardly against a relativelysmall area of the under surface of said rotor at a, point in exposure toan air space about the rotor, the velocity of said upwardly projectedliquid being sufficiently high to cause the liquid to adhere to saidsurface and to be thrown centrifugally along the surface through aseries of small apertures in the periphery of said rotor, the liquidthen being projected from the rotor across said air space directlyagainst said shell above saidbody of liquid, and the liquid 'thencereturning to said body of liquid.

- 9. I n apparatus` of the character described, means-forming a chambercontaining a body of liquid,a rotor above the liquid level in saidchamber and turning about a vertical axis,.means for rotating said rotorat high velocity, means forcibly, projecting a stream of liquid fromsaid body'upwardly in contact with the bottom surface of said rotor nearits center and at a velocity such that the liquid is caused to adhere tosaid surface Iand `to be centrifugally projected along and in nelydivided form beyond said surface Vinto ang-air space. surrounding therotor, and

means-for directing a separate stream of a different liquid against thetop of said rotor, whereby theV streams are' intimately admixed at theperiphery ofthe rotor and centrifugally projected from said rotor athigh velocity into said air space andA then collected in said chamber.v

10. In apparatus of the character described, an element rotatable abouta vertical axis, a stationary tube below said element, a shaftextending. upwardly within said tube and operating to rotate saidelement at high Velocity, means carried vbysaid shaft for projectingliquid from a level below said element upwardly against the bottomsurface of said element near the center thereof and in direct exposureto an air space surrounding the element, the liquid being projectedagainst said element at such high velocity as to cause the liquid toadhere to said surface and to be thrown centrifugally along the surfacethrough aperturesin the periphery of said element, the liquid thencebeing projected radially and at high velocity from said element infinely divided form into said air space, and then returned to said tubeto again be projected against said element.

` ROBERT C. MIZE.

Administrator of the Estate of' Homer Reid Torence, Deceased.

